Action of protest against juvenile justice held in downtown Moscow

‘Juvenile Justice Turns Kids Into Goods’, ‘No Place For Juvenile Justice In Russia’ read the slogans that the protesters were carrying

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MOSCOW, April 25 (Itar-Tass) - About a thousand people gathered in Revolution Square in downtown Moscow Thursday night in spite of a heavy rain for an action of protest against the introduction of the juvenile justice system in the Russian Federation.

‘Juvenile Justice Turns Kids Into Goods’, ‘No Place For Juvenile Justice In Russia’ read the slogans that the protesters were carrying. They also had posters with the signatures of people from various regions of Russia, who protested against the introduction of juvenile justice laws.

The action was organized by the Union of Patriotic Associations of Parents and authorized by the city government.

The protesters focused the public’s attention on the bills, which they said might create additional instruments for depriving children of their families.

Political scientist Sergei Kurginian, who is the leader of the Sut Vremeni /Essence of the Epoch/ public movement said the associations of parents demand a full ban on resettlement of orphaned children to any foreign countries. Also, they demand that the government set up a quality system of boarding schools for the orphans and laws be passed to protect children in low-income families.

Introduction of Western-style juvenile justice in Russia is a tool for destroying the institute of family, Dr Kurginian said.

He indicated that a total of 250,000 signatures against the adoption of bills in that sphere have been submitted to the Presidential Administration.

Participants in the meeting also spoke against the forthcoming ratification by the State Duma of the Council of Europe’s Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

“Article 2 of the Convention says that while steps to protect children against sexual violence are taken, it is inadmissible to discriminate against the people with unconventional sexual orientations,” said Olga Letkova, a leader of the Association of Parents’ Organizations and Communities.

“In practical terms this means that precisely this type of individuals will be admitted to general schools and nursery schools to instruct on the issue,” she said.

“In addition, Article 6 of the Convention says in plain terms that sex education should become mandatory in the primary school and in the middle school but this will mean dissemination of depravity among children,” Letkova said.

The Union of Patriotic Associations of Parents was set up at a congress of Russian parents February 9, 2013. President Vladimir Putin came to the Column Hall of the House of Unions then and made a speech to the gathering.